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Richard Nash
24,862 PointsWill ROM ever completely replace RAM?
Now that we are using solid state memory for ROM and replacing spinning hard discs, also known as HDD's, will solid state ROM ever fully replace solid state RAM, or are there differences that will never be replaced? I obviously do not know that differences between the two types of memory, besides RAM being volatile and ROM not be volatile. I want to understand this better, so please help me out, y'all XD
To be specific, right now ROM holds information and then moves that information into RAM at the request of the active application. This is because spinning hard drives are too slow to be accessed continually by the application. But now that ROM is being replaced by solid state memory, which is also what RAM is made of, will we get to the point where SSD storage is so fast that the need for a another form of temporary SSD storage is not necessary? It would seem that having the same information stored twice, one permanently (ROM) and one temporarily (RAM) seems like a waste of resources, IF, and only IF, the permanent storage (ROM) can be accessed as quickly as the temporary storage (RAM) by the active application.
4 Answers
Orestis Pouliasis
5,561 Points+RAM, is connected to the CPU with by a totally diffrent way, but both are connected via the chipset. The chipset is a set of chips; the Northbridge and the Southbridge. Northbridge connects your CPU with speed-demanding compoments, and that's RAM and PCI-Express (GPU). Southbridge connects your CPU with less speed demaning compoments, like SATA ports (HDD/SSD/DVD), USB's etc. +ROM and RAM.>ROM permantly stores data and you CANT basically cant write anything (you as a user)(it permantly stores data), while RAM stores data as long as the power is on. (it can't permantly store data). Wikipedia (RAM): "Today, random-access memory takes the form of integrated circuits. RAM is normally associated with volatile types of memory (such as DRAM memory modules), where stored information is lost if power is removed, although many efforts have been made to develop non-volatile RAM chips. Other types of non-volatile memory exist that allow random access for read operations, but either do not allow write operations or have limitations on them. These include most types of ROM and a type of flash memory called NOR-Flash." Wikipedia (ROM): "Read-only memory (ROM) is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM can only be modified slowly, with difficulty, or not at all, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware (software that is very closely tied to specific hardware, and unlikely to need frequent updates)." +SSD and HDD>HDD's use X spinning disks (depends on the capacity of the drive) and a "needle" that "writes"/reads the data on the spinning disks. What it basically does, is that it magnetises the part of the disk (anywhere) and that part of the disk holds a value between 0 or 1. SSD's use the Flash memory technology (see your USB flash drive), and what basically an SSD is a set of flash memory chips, that a memory controler makes the memory chips to "cooperate" and permantly store data on them, even when the power is off. SSD have better access speeds, they are more durable (longer life time, durability to shocks-not if hammered, sorry:), but still they are more expensive than HDD (capacity/$). Their life time depends on how many times you have written data on the memory chip. As they get older, you will experience perfomance reduce, and after a certain amount of operational hours, they become not safe for storing important data. So what most people do (me included), is that you store your OS and your most used programs and/or games on your SSD, and your files on your HDD. SSD's are conected to your CPU via SATA,PCI-E, or a new interface , SATA Express.
+P.S.1.It's not SSD RAM, its DRAM + just ROM.
- If a computer has (example) 2GB's of RAM, while running Windows 7, and if it's running 3-4 programms at the same time, you WILL encounter perfomance decrease, because your OS is using your HDD/SSD as a RAM module, because your RAM is full. 3.I don't think we will see computers with no RAM modules in the near future, as it breaks the "basic computer structure" law.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask again!
Robert Komaromi
11,927 PointsIt seems like this may be a possibility - but for now, I'm going to answer your question with a no. The only reason for the existence of RAM / main memory is because it is much faster than secondary / permanent storage. Memory access is the biggest bottleneck when it comes to execution time of instructions / programs. There are other things to take into consideration that affect the speed of a memory device. You could have the fastest SSD in the universe but it won't supersede RAM if there is not an interface which can transfer data between it and the processor in sufficient time.
The interface between the hard drive and the processor can cause delays, and possibly other devices that need to share the same interface the hard drive is connected to.
sangsatori
2,761 PointsYour question uses confusing phrasing. Hard Discs (HDDs) are a form of storage mediums - and so are Solid-Sate Drives (SSDs). You can write data to both operating system RAM and storage devices like HDDs and SSDs; rule of thumb is that RAM is faster than bigger-capacity storage like SSDs or HDDs.
So I suspect what you meant was 'Will solid-state storage devices replace spinning HDD-type storage devices?'.
My own estimate is that quite likely SSD-type memory is to become default for consumer-level devices since it is near reaching the level of where it provides 'enough' storage for daily use, while HDDs will remain in use for those needing a lot of storage - like certain power users, system admins and cloud system maintainers... as long as HDD technology doesn't hit a bottleneck and is incapable of advancing further in terms of amount of data it can store, or an SSD breakthrough happens which would make solid-state mediums have both more storage capacity and be faster than conventional HDDs.
Richard Nash
24,862 PointsHi Arnis Jaundžeikars, thank you for your reply, but your suspicion was incorrect, unfortunately.
SSD's will completely replace HDDs in the future, I think, but my original question remains the same.
RAM exists because spinning hard drives were too slow to be effective for software applications. But could SSD's ever become fast enough to completely replace RAM? In other words, will speed advancements in solid state drives ever be as fast or faster than RAM? Will RAM ever cease to be a thing that is needed to run a software application? This question is based upon my ignorance as to the difference between SSD ROM and SSD RAM, other than volatility.
I hope that clears up my question for you :-)
Orestis Pouliasis
5,561 PointsRichard I forgot to add a link for you. You can visit Linus Tech Tips' channel! Here are 2 of his channels: https://www.youtube.com/user/Techquickie (explains various computer staff) https://www.youtube.com/user/LinusTechTips (mostly reviews products) Hope you like them!
Richard Nash
24,862 PointsThanks, I'll check them out :-)
Michael Choi
6,332 PointsMichael Choi
6,332 PointsThat was an awesome answer, thanks!
Richard Nash
24,862 PointsRichard Nash
24,862 PointsSo, are DRAM, or SRAM, and SSD ROM made of different types of things? I was under the impression that they were both made of solid state memory. Also, could it be possible to someday alter and evolve the "basic computer structure law" to disregard unnecessary components? Maybe the north and south gates will combine into one gate that all data will travel through, because there will be no need for a technical separation of duties. I currently run a computer with no spinning hard discs and the the thing is the fastest computer that I have every used, by a very long and wide mile.
But, my lack of understanding of computer science is starting to really bother me, and questions like these could probably be answered better outside of sites like treehouse, which is more focused on a very simplified, almost non-technical understanding of the basics. I'm glad they are finally making a course like this, I just want to know more, and I want to find some great authoritative sources on this sort of information.
If you have any suggestions, please share :-)
Orestis Pouliasis
5,561 PointsOrestis Pouliasis
5,561 PointsA computing system basic principle is that some basic compoments exist: a CPU, to do the "maths", the RAM, to "feed" the CPU with data, a GPU (whether is intergrated in the CPU or it's a another chip) that will output the "image" on your monitor, and a "storage drive" (where the OS is saved) all connected with each other with the Chipset, i.e. Northbridge and Southbridge. DRAM and SRAM is not the same! DRAM or Dynamic Random Access Memory refreshes thousands if not millions times/sec, while SRAM, or Static Random Access Memory just stores data. BOTH will loose the data stored on them when the power is off, and BOTH are types of RAM, but they're not the same thing. Also, it's not right to refer to ROM as SSD ROM, because the term SSD referes to the Solid State Drive, in which you can read/write/delete data stored on it really easy, while ROM is 9 times out of 10 only to be read, it's data cannot be modified, and if the chip allows so, it will be done very slowly. (Note: It's not SSD memory, it's flash memory). The "basic computer structure law" has "evolved" kinda, the new Intel X99 chipset (Socket FCLGA 2011-v3), intergrades the Northbridge to the CPU, (that leaves only the Southbridge), for more speed. It's an evolve, but we will continue to see computers constructed on that basic principle for many years. Note: NOTHING that is connected to the MB (motherboard) of your computer is unnecessary. The user just doesn't use it. Feel free to ask anything!
Robert Komaromi
11,927 PointsRobert Komaromi
11,927 PointsVery good points here. Something to also note:
Processors implement what is known as cache memory. This is a small amount of memory very close to the CPU which is very fast. Processors may implement a separate cache for instructions and a separate cache for data (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_cache).
A memory unit is called a random-access memory (RAM) if the access time to any location is the same, independent of the location’s address.